Dredging utensil.



No. 690,249. Patented Dec. 3|, |901. J. DUNGAN.

DBEDGING UTENSIL.

(Application led Apr. 5, 1901.-)

(No M'odel.)

W/ TNE SSE S dredger-body and a stirrer thereon.

UNiTED STATES 3PA-TENT Fries.

JONATHAN DUNGAN, OF PROSPECT PARK, PENNSYLVANIA.

DREDGING UTENSIL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 690,249, dated December 31, 1901.

Application filed April 5, 1901. Serial No. 54,468. (No model.)

T0 @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JONATHAN DUNGAN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Prospect Park, in the county of Delaware 'and -State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and Improved DredgingUtensil,of which the following is a full, clear, and exact dcscription.

This invention relates to a class of utensils employed for containing and dredging all kinds of granular, ground, or powdered substances-such as salt, pepper, spices, sugar, flour, or the like-and has for its object to provide a device of the class indicated of novel simple construction and adapted for very ellicient service as a dredging utensil.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of` parts, as is hereinafter described, and defined in the appended claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the gures.

Figure l is a sectional side view of the device, taken through its longitudinal center. Fig. 2 is a perspective View ofl the dredgerbody having the cap-piece removed. Fig. 3 is an inverted perspective view of the cappiece for the dredger-box, showing features of construction on the inner side thereof. Fig. 4 is a side view of an inner lid for the Fig. 5 is a plan view of the cap-piece or exterior cover of 'the dredger-body. Fig. 6 is a sectional side view of the upper portion of the utensil slightly modified in construction, and Fig. 7Y is asectional plan view substantially on the line 7 7 in Fig. 6.

The dredger-body 6 may be formedof any preferred material and have suitable dimensions for effective service, and, as shown, said body is a cylindrical shell closed at the bottom by a fiat Wall 6% The height of the hollow body 6 is proportioned to its diameter so as to adapt the utensil for convenient manipulation, and at a proper distance from the open top of the body a shoulder 6b is formed on the exterior surface of the body by a suitable reduction of the exterior diameter, providing a cylindrical thinner body portion 6c, which extends from the shoulder 6b to the upper edge of the receptacle 6.

Upon the side wall of the dredger-body 6, at or near the shoulder 6b, a vertical rib or like projection 6d is formed to facilitate holding of the body while manipulating other parts of the device for their convenient rota- 'tive movement, as Will be more fully explained. Upon the inner surface of the body 6 asmall annular [lange 6e is formed, as shown in Fig. l. Y

An inner cover or lid is `provided for the body portion 6 and has an inverted-cup form, comprising a thin cylindrical side wall 7, which has a close sliding fit within the upper portion of the parts 6 and normally seats upon the annular flange 6e. The lid is mainly closed at the upper end of the side wall 7 by a at or other shaped top wall 7, in which a plurality of spaced -perforations ct are formed at a suitable distance from the side wall 7. A radial liange b is formed on the periphery of the top wall 7, which flange seats upon the free upper edge of the dredger-body 6 when the inner lid is in place thereon, the outer edge of said ange then being flush with the exterior surface of the body 6, as best shown in Fig. 2.

As the improved dredger utensil may With ladvantage be employed to sprinkle salt or powdered spices, ,which are liable to 'become lumpy or caked in the receptacle 6, it is preferred to provide a stirrer device when the device is to be employed to dredge such ma` terial, the stirrer consisting of a plurality of spaced finger-pieces or rods 8,that arebunched together at their upper ends, and said ends are fixed in a depending boss 7b, which is formed or secured on the under side of the top wall 7ab at its center, as shown in Fig. l. At diametrically opposite points two similar elongated notches c are formed in the radial flange b, the use of which will be hereinafter ,l

'length and interior diameter of the skirt'- IOO piece being such as adapts it to slide upon and closely embrace the outer surface of the diametrically-reduced upper portionc of the dredger-body 6, so as to seat upon the shoulder 6b when all the parts of the utensil are assembled for use.

In the diametrically-reduced portion 6'3 of the dredger-body 6, which extends above the shoulder 6b, a circumferential channel e is formed near said shoulder and parallel therewith. At directly opposite points two vertical grooves g are formed in the wall of the dredger-body 6, extending from its upper edge downwardly and merging into the circumferential channel e, as clearly shown with regard to one of said pair of vertical grooves in Fig. 2.

On the inner surface of the top wall 9 of the outermost cap piece or cover for the dredger-body two short lugs h are oppositely formed or secured and respectively occupya corresponding notch c in the flange bon the inner lid of the utensil. A series of spaced .orifices t' is formed in the top wall 9, which orifices may be somewhat larger in diameter than that of the perforations a in the top wall 'a of the inner cover for the body 6. The spaces between the orifices t' and the relative positions of the same are similar to the spaces between the perforations a', so that if both covers are placed u pon the body portion 6 one over the other and the wall 9 is seated upon the wall 7 and the lugs h occupy the notches c a slight rotative movement of the outermost lid `or`cover will be adapted to cause the orifices therein to register with perforations a in the inner cover, and thus contentsof the dredger-box when thelatter is inverted and shaken in the usual manner. As the notches/c are of sufficient length to permit a partial rotation of the outermost cap-piece or cover upon the inner one and the latter cover is tted tighter within the dredgerjbody than the outer one is fitted upon the exterior of said body, it will be evident that a rotative movement of the cappiece 9 9 on the inner cover 7 7 maybe readily eected to open or close the perforations in the cap-piece and cover by the manipulation of the. outer cover.

To prevent an accidental displacement of the cap-piece, two small pins fm m are projected from the inner surface of the side wall 9a opposite each other, and these pins may be entered inthe upper ends of the vertical grooves g after the inner cover is in positionon the body 6 when the notches c in the radial iiange b are located over these grooves, as indicatedin Fig. 2, and it will be seeinI that if the side wall 9 is slid down to have contact with the shoulder 6b a rotative movement of the outer lid or cover will slide the pins m from the vertical grooves g into the circumferential channel e, andV thus lock theouter cap-piece or cover in place; butthe cap-piece or cover may be removed by reversing the operation that effects its locked adjustment.

It will be seen that any tendency to form lumps or caking of the contents held in the hollow body portion 6 of the improved dredger may be prevented by occasionally turning the outer cover of the device first in one direction and then in an opposite direction, which will cause the fingers 8 to break up the lumps or caked formation, reducing the salt or spice to granular form and adapting it for free sprinkling from the dredger through the orifices in the covers, which may be opened, as before explained.

In Figs. 6 and 7 the dredging device is shown slightly modified in form, the stirringfingers 8 being dispensed with, as in the use of the device for dredging granular or powa dered material not liable to become caked or lumpy the fingers are unnecessary and may be omitted. A further change consists in re-V versing the positions ofthe pins and grooves for connecting the outer lid of the dredger with the body 6. In the moditiedconstruction two opposite vertical grooves g' are formed in the inner surface of' the side wall 9' from its lower edge upward-ly and at their upper ends merge into a circumferential groove e', also formed in the inner surface of the side wall. Two short pins m' project oppositely from the exterior surface of the reduced upper portion of they body 6 above the lshoulder 6b and enter the groove e' after passing through the vertical grooves g',where- ,by the cap-piece 9 is held rotatably but rejmovably upon the reduced side wall 7. In the annular flange 6ve a notch n is formed, as provide through escape-holes for the granular shown in Fig. 6, and a mating toe n', which .depends from the lower edge of the depending side wall 7 of the inner lid, is adaptedV to yoccupy this notchwhen the inner lidis p,rop'

erly positioned within the upper portion of thebody 6. It will be seen that the provision of the interlocking toe andI notch described will serve to hold the-inner lid from rotation, while the outer lid is manipulated to open or close the apertures in the two-lids,- as before explained.

It is claimed for this utensil that it is eX- tremely simple, dispenses withthe use of screw-threads in connection of the parts, is very readily taken apart, and the partsl eas# ily reassembled for service. It protects its contents against dust, dampness, and atmospheric impurities and` preserves in full strength spices, salt, or pepper placed therein.

Having thus fully described-my invention, I claim as new and desire to securev by Letters Patentl. In a d-redgingutensil, a hollow body havl ing an annular flange on its inner surface, a perforate inner lid seating on said ange, an outer cap-piece adapted to cover the inner lid, the lid and cap piece having perforations which may be openedor closedby rotationof the cap-piece, and means for detachably hold ing the cap-piece on the hollow body.

2. In a dredging utensil, a cylindrical hollow body having its upper portion reduced in diameter forming a circumferential shoulder, an inner cover for the body tting closely but rotatably within said upper portion, and having a radial flange on its upper end adapted to seat upon the upper edge of the hollow body, the radial flange having opposite elongated notches therein, an outer cap-piece adapted to closely but movably incase the diametrically-reduced upper portion of the hollowr body, the top walls of the lid and cap-piece having like series of perforations which may be opened or closed by a turning movement of the cap-piece, studs depending from the inner surface of the top wall of the cap-piece and having engagement within the notches in the radial dange, and means for detachably securing the vcap-piece on the hollow body.

3. In a dredging utensil, a cylindrical hollow body having its upper portion reduced in diameter, forming a circumferential shoulder, an inner lid fitting closely within saidv upper portion of the body and having an oppositely-notched radial flange onl its upper end adapted to seat upon the upper edge of the hollow body, an outer cap-piece in inverted-cup form loosely fitting with its side wall upon the reduced upper portion of the hollow body and seating on the circumferential shoulder, opposte lugs on the inner side i of the top wall of the cap-piece, engaging the notches in the radial flange, the top walls of the inner and outer covers having like series of perforations therein which may be opened or closed by a rotative movement of the cappiece, and a locking device on the cap-piece and the upper portion of the hollow body, adapted to removably hold the cap-piece on said hollow body.

4. In a dredging utensil, a hollow cylindrical body, a cap-piece thereon having a depending side wall, a pin-and-grooved detach able connection between the cap-piece and the body, an inner lid having a depending circular ange, an annular rib on the inner surface of the hollow body and havinga notch therein, and a toe depending from the circular flange and adapted to interlock withsaid notch, the inner and outer lids having per forations adapted to be brought opposite by rotatable movement of the outer lid, or to be closed by an opposite movement thereof.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

v JONATHAN DUNGAN,

Witnesses: g

A. C. HERMAN SCHNEIDER, EDWARD S. DUNGAN. 

